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Peacemaker
"I hate snakes," Ryan muttered in my ear. "Really? What a crazy surprise! So after this is over, you're not going to take Viperstar's pet, name him Bucky, and keep him in a corner of the warriors' den?" I said, dropping onto the next ledge with the Life-Rock in my jaws. Ryan dropped down next to me. "Bucky?" "It was the first name that popped into my head." He raised his eyebrows. "If we ever have kits, you are'' not'' naming them." The Life-Rock drops from my open jaws. "If we what?" "Guys, you kind of have our best chance to not die in this fight. Hurry it up!" Fire called. "And pick it up off the floor! Have you got bees in your brain, Breezeflight?" Ryan glanced at me with an unspoken question in his eyes. "We can, uh, talk later." I was so confused all of a sudden. How had Specklenose and Cammy figured it out, that maze-like stretch of a relationship after you realized you loved each other? How did you decide what you wanted together? Apart from a few daydreams that every apprentice has, I'd never given much thought to having kits. Of course, between all the upheavals SpringClan had experienced throughout my lifetime, that wasn't the strangest thing -- but other cats had found time and reason to start families. Maybe family was just an open wound in my heart, one that had never quite healed. My parents' deaths, Daisyheart's murder... Ivyrose had come back from Twolegplace, but even that came with the much dreaded prospect of having to fill Goldenburst's paws as deputy so he could spend time with her. "Breezeflight." Ryan was standing beside Brightpaw, Wolf and Fire, all of them looking up at me expectantly. I locked eyes with the black tom and felt my anxiety drain out beneath the rising need to protect everyone I cared for. I leaped down the last step. "Where is he?" "Seriously? See the giant snake ramming his head into the tunnel over there? Yeah, I think that might be him," Ryan said. StarClan. If we ever have kits, they are going to be the most sarcastic little buggers in the world. "I meant Viperstar," I said. "Under that rock overhang on the other side. I've been wondering, how come the snake doesn't attack him?" Wolf said with a frown. "Because he awoke it? I'm not quite sure. But if the Life-Rock's power can be channeled by its user, I'm sure it works the same way for the Death-Stone. Or whatever it is." "It's reassuring that you're so knowledgable on this stuff. Especially considering what happened to Oakstar," said Fire. I was surprised at the anger etched on her face. "I have to try, at least," I said. Fire turned away, shaking her head. "I know you do. Risking your life is what you do best." "Technically, you're all risking your lives. I'm the only powerless one here," said Wolf. Brightpaw gave him a small smile. "Doesn't that make you the bravest?" Ryan pouted at Brightpaw. "I wanna be the bravest and the good-lookingest." "How about most annoying?" offered Fire, though from the glare she was giving me, I could see she was still most annoyed with me for my admittedly slightly harebrained scheme. I was oddly touched. "Fire, it's going to be all right. If it doesn't work, the worst that'll happen is I'll look like an idiot, jumping down there with a rock in my mouth."